self! it is clean out of the way: seek thou rather to be hang'd in compassing thy joy, than to be drown'd and go without her. Rod. Wilt thou be fast to my hopes, if I depend on the issue? : Iago. Thou art sure of me;-Go, make money :I have told thee often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I hate the Moor: My cause is hearted; thine hath no less reason: Let us be conjunctive in our revenge against him: if thou canst cuckold him, thou dost thyself a pleasure, and me a sport. There are many events in the womb of time, which will be delivered. Traverse; go; provide thy money. We will have more of this to-morrow. Adieu. Rod. Where shall we meet i'the morning? Rod. I'll be with thee betimes. Iago. Go to; farewell. Do you hear, Roderigo? Rod. What say you? Iago. No more of drowning, do you hear. Rod. I am changed. I'll sell all my land. Iago. Go to; farewell: put money enough in your purse. [Exit Roderigo. Thus do I ever make my fool my purse: For I mine own gain'd knowledge should profane, If I would time expend with such a snipe, But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor; And it is thought abroad, that 'twixt my sheets He has done my office: I know not, if't be true; But I, for mere suspicion in that kind, Will do, as if for surety. He holds me well; That he is too familiar with his wife: He hath a person, and a smooth dispose, To be suspected; fram'd to make women false. That thinks men honest, that but seem to be so; 'As asses are: I have't;-it is engender'd:-Hell and night Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light, [Exit. ACT II. SCENE I. A Sea-port Town in Cyprus. A Platform. Enter MONTANO and two Gentlemen. Mon. What from the cape can you discern at sea? 1 Gent. Nothing at all: it is a high-wrought flood; I cannot, 'twixt the heaven and the main, Descry a sail. Mon. Methinks, the wind hath spoke aloud at land; A fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements: If it hath ruffian'd so upon the sea, What ribs of oak, when mountains melt on them, The wind-shak'd surge, with high and monstrous main, Seems to cast water on the burning bear, And quench the guards of the ever-fixed pole: I never did like molestation view On th' enchaf'd flood. Mon. If that the Turkish fleet Be not inshelter'd and embay'd, they are drown'd; Enter a third Gentleman. 3 Gent. News, lords! our wars are done; The desperate tempest hath so bang'd the Turks, That their designment halts: A noble ship of Venice Hath seen a grievous wreck and sufferance On most part of their fleet. Mon. How! is this true? 3 Gent. The ship is here put in, A Veronesé 30; Michael Cassio, Lieutenant to the warlike Moor, Othello, Is come on shore: the Moor himself's at sea, And is in full commission here for Cyprus. Mon. I am glad on't; 'tis a worthy governour. 3 Gent. But this same Cassio,-though he speak of comfort, Touching the Turkish loss,-yet he looks sadly, And prays the Moor be safe; for they were parted With foul and violent tempest. Mon. 'Pray heaven he be; For I have serv'd him, and the man commands Like a full soldier. Let's to the sea-side, ho! As well to see the vessel that's come in, As to throw out our eyes for brave Othello; Even till we make the main, and the aerial blue, An indistinct regard. 3 Gent. Come, let's do so; For every minute is expectancy Of more arrivance. Enter CASSIO. Cas. Thanks to the valiant of this warlike isle, For I have lost him on a dangerous sea! Cas. His bark is stoutly timber'd, and his pilot [Within.] A sail, a sail, a sail! Enter another Gentleman. Cas. What noise? 4 Gent. The town is empty; on the brow o'the sea Stand ranks of people, and they cry-a sail. Cas. My hopes do shape him for the governour. 2 Gent. They do discharge their shot of courtesy; Our friends, at least. Cas. [Guns heard. I pray you, sir, go forth, And give us truth who 'tis that is arriv'd. [Exit. 2 Gent. I shall. Cas. Most fortunately: he hath achiev'd a maid That paragons description, and wild fame; And in the essential vesture of creation, |